Remember, Remember
by 263Adder
Summary: "Remember, remember! The fifth of November, The Gunpowder treason and plot; I know of no reason, Why the Gunpowder treason, Should ever be forgot!" Or, Reginald has guests come over for the 5th November and decides the Academy should celebrate Bonfire Night. Series: Paper Chains Part 5.


While it wasn't unusual for Sir Reginald to pull the children out of lessons for additional training or to go on a mission, it was unheard of for him to change their curriculum at such short notice. Each child had their own strict lesson schedule, which Reginald had to approve. It was why Five had individual physics lessons, even though he'd initially argued both Ben and Vanya had the skills to attend with him. Reginald knew he would need the classes for his jumps and changed his curriculum accordingly.

Most of the siblings' sat in the same subjects, principally science, maths, English with occasional lectures in geography, politics and history. Only Vanya got to delve into the other humanities, foreign languages and religious studies, as well as the arts. Five didn't mind too much about the latter, although a foreign language could have been useful. Especially as the Umbrella Academy was now accepting missions abroad. He also quite liked the idea of having something else to share with Vanya, particularly something which would enable them to talk to each other without the others listening in.

What none the children had never received, however, was a lecture on social customs.

Grace pushed the blackboard to the front of the class. She had already written the key information upon it and extended a pointer to the title to begin her lecture. Yet the children couldn't help but fixate on the chalk figure at the bottom right of the board which appeared to have been cut into quarters.

"Good morning children." Their pseudo mother greeted, pausing for them to return the salutation.

"Good morning." They echoed diligently, Five rolling his eyes as he joined in. What polite little clapping monkeys Reginald was turning them into, he thought spitefully.

"Today we will discuss Guy Fawkes Day, otherwise known as Bonfire Night." Grace said cheerfully. "We briefly touched upon this when studying international history fourteen months ago, however...yes, Ben?"

"Sorry, Mom. But I thought we were doing math today. I brought my homework as you told us to."

"_Nerd_." Klaus coughed into his hand, before pardoning himself far too theatrically to be taken seriously: "Oh, excuse me. I think I'm getting a cough."

"I can have a look after your lesson is over, Klaus," Grace assured.

"Oh, but...okay. Thanks, Mom." He sheepishly agreed.

"And in response to your question Ben, your Father has some important visitors coming to the mansion later today and he thought it was appropriate you understand the holiday."

"Why?" Diego asked.

"As they are arriving on Guy Fawkes Day and come from the United Kingdom, your Father thought it would be appropriate to light a bonfire in keeping with tradition, in respect for their customs," Grace said, not noticing the ripple of surprise that went around the room. Instead, she launched into her lecture, apparently finding nothing at all bizarre in the fact that Sir Reginald Hargreeves was about to host a celebration that might bring _joy_ to people instead of misery and destruction.

The entire notion was, to the children, sheer lunacy.

"Well you have to admit," Diego said as they left the classroom, "if Dad was ever going to celebrate anything, it would be something like this? I mean, something nearly gets blown up and when it doesn't, they celebrate by torturing and brutally murdering the perpetrators before using the entire thing as an excuse to persecute innocent people. Wait, you don't think he's doing this just so he can throw one of us onto the bonfire do you?"

"Don't be stupid, Diego," Luther replied derisively, "we're just going to watch some fireworks."

"Which means we get to have fun." Allison grinned. "Do you think we'll get sparklers? I loved the ones we got last New Year. You know, when we were at the Police Commissioner's party?" She said, her voice rising as Vanya neared. "Did I tell you about that, Vanya?"

Five had noticed Allison seemed to increasingly enjoy regaling Vanya with tales of every extravagant event the Umbrella Academy was invited to, of which they'd, unfortunately, been a fair amount. Since she had little opportunity to engage with outsiders, who were so easy to impress, Allison was attempting to find the awe she sought from Vanya. Yet instead of gushing, as Allison wanted, Vanya would only nod politely; perhaps giving a small smile if she was feeling indulgent. Only Five seemed to realise how much hearing those stories hurt her. He wondered if Allison would continue if she knew.

He thought it likely it would only spur her on more.

"Yes." Vanya nodded in response.

"We _all_ remember that." Five spoke up, a malicious grin the only warning he gave Allison. "In fact, I seem to remember all too well that _someone_ got a little too enthusiastic about the open buffet and they were sick after eating...oh, _what_ was it again?"

Allison's face puckered up, and she stormed off ahead of the group, Luther following in her wake.

"Oh, the shrimp explosion of '02. I remember it well." Klaus said with mock nostalgia.

Five was the only one to notice Vanya's quiet giggle, which made any future intention Allison had to enact revenge on him for repeating that anecdote well worth it.

The Academy members had training for the next few hours, but Five caught Vanya's elbow before she could disappear off to the music room and held her back so they could have some distance from the others.

"Are you okay?" He asked when she looked at him questioningly.

He tried to ask her that once a day, although he admittedly failed to remember several times a week. Not surprising since emotions weren't particularly at the forefront of his consciousness, but he had seen Ben start to ask her and figured he should do the same. While he wouldn't say so to his brother, he thought it more likely Vanya would be honest with him. If only because he could tell when she was lying and knew how to cajole the truth from her.

"Yeah, are you?"

Classic deflection, he thought inwardly, sighing in response to her half-hearted reply.

Everyone else would probably know that reading one book on psychology, by Freud of all people, did not make someone an expert in the subject. Five however placed far too much faith in the accuracy of his books. Still, no one would disagree that he knew Vanya better than anyone and could recognise when she was upset. He was her best friend after all.

"Don't let Allison get to you, okay? That stuff, the parties, they don't mean anything. Every time we go out we're just playing an act so Dad can make everyone think that we're perfect. Some of them are just gullible enough to believe the act is real."

"She didn't, I...I always hope you have a nice time when you go." Vanya said, not quite meeting his eyes. "I know you have to deal with the bad parts too, so it's only fair you get to go to nice parties and everything."

"Nice time? Every single one of them has been terrible." Five groaned, remembering the strict lectures Reginald always gave beforehand – telling them how to behave, what to talk about, what _not_ to talk about, or how to smile. Once he had made Five try smiling several times, waiting until he could produce one that looked slightly less sarcastic than all the others he had performed, telling him to produce it every time someone approached to applaud their feats of heroics.

No. Nice was not the correct adjective.

"I had more fun on Chinese New Year than I had in all those stupid parties combined. Halloween too," Five amended, even though he still felt bile rising at the thought of those ridiculous plastic teeth Klaus had made him wear. "They're only fun when we're all there. You included. That's the only reason I'm looking forward to tonight at all."

She smiled at him, one of her genuine smiles.

The children's real smiles were so rare that Five never got sick of seeing them.

"I'll see you after training, okay?"

"Okay. Good luck."

"You too." Five wished, even though he could hardly imagine Vanya going through many tribulations during her daily violin practice.

With a slight wave of his hand, he dashed off to catch up with the others.

* * *

Pogo must have been required for training that afternoon, as Vanya had been left to her own devices for most of her music lesson. It was only as the hand inched past four, that the door to the music room creaked open and Pogo shuffled in.

"I think you have practised enough for today, Miss Vanya." He chided. "We wouldn't want you to cut your fingers again, your little finger has only just healed from last time."

While she would have liked to have finished the piece she was working on, her fingers keeping up just fine, Vanya would never ignore Pogo's instructions and hastily tidied her violin away.

"Do I have time to work on my scales before dinner?" She asked.

"Sir Reginald's guests will arrive at five o'clock to discuss some business. Dinner will not be served until seven." Pogo explained.

Vanya failed to notice how uncomfortable Pogo looked as he told her this, focused on ensuring her instrument was correctly stored before gently closing the lid on her most treasured item.

"Okay, well before I get ready..."

"Miss Vanya." Pogo interrupted gently. "Sir Reginald has instructed that you will have dinner in your quarters tonight. He only wants Academy members present to meet his guests."

Grateful her back was to him, Vanya let out a soft, "Oh."

Really it wasn't a surprise, when did Vanya ever get included in such things anymore, but she couldn't help the little stab of hurt that resounded around her small frame with the revelation.

"Okay. Can I take my violin with me?"

She heard a sigh, not seeing how Pogo's eyes closed as if he were in pain.

"Sir Reginald wants all disruptions kept to a minimum. As such, I think it would be best if you leave your violin in the music room for tonight. I will lock the door so it remains safe."

Swallowing, Vanya agreed to this and placed her violin in the cupboard. She then allowed Pogo to guide her to her bedroom, a hand on her back in a small act of comfort. Once she was inside, Vanya turned back to him waiting for further instruction. She was surprised by the amount of emotion on Pogo's face, even more so when he swept her up in a hug.

"I will also be in my quarters tonight." He told her. A small comfort, he thought, to let her know she wasn't the only one who was forced to stay out of sight.

Her thin arms squeezed him back.

"I will see you in the morning," Pogo said as he drew back, reluctantly pulling his keys from a pocket to lock her in.

Once she heard his footsteps retreat from her door, Vanya submitted to her wishes. Taking another pill, she kicked off her shoes and hid under her duvet. She stayed buried beneath her blankets, willing the world away until Grace arrived shortly after seven with her dinner.

"I made a dessert traditional to the holiday, it's called parkin." Grace announced, placing a square of the brownish cake on the tray beside Vanya's soup and bread. "Have a good night, sweetheart. And don't forget to take a pill with your dinner."

Pausing, Grace crossed the room to close her curtains before taking her leave. Disappearing back into the hallway, the door locked behind her.

Vanya took one long look at her food before depositing it on her desk and returning to bed.

She'd heard her siblings get ready for the evening a few hours ago. Briefly, she thought she heard someone try her bedroom door, but she'd been buried so deeply under the blankets it was likely just wishful thinking. Occasionally she thought she caught a wisp of laughter rising from downstairs, but she didn't strain herself to listen properly knowing she would only ruin her mood further.

The tips of her fingers felt cold, as they often did when Vanya took an extra pill, so she shoved them under her pillow to stay warm. They bumped the edges of a book she'd left under there when insomnia had kept her awake last night. She'd read it more times than she could count, not even finding it that interesting the first time, but it was one of the few books in the house which were exclusively hers.

Pulling it out, she rolled onto her side and started to read.

She only paused when she heard the first bang of a firework, being let off from the courtyard to explode over the Academy.

Tentatively, Vanya reached out a hand to turn off her bedside lamp. It took another minute before she worked up enough nerve to pull back the curtains, just enough for her to spy on the display taking place beyond her window.

A red spinning wheel lit up the sky above her, to the appreciation of the crowd below.

Glancing down, she saw Father talking to a few men in suits however one had split from the group and was talking to Five, who had an incredibly pained smile on his face, but the man talking hadn't noticed.

A golden flurry lit up the sky and Vanya jumped slightly with surprise.

Five's attention was caught by the motion and he spotted her instantly. His face softened slightly and his companion turned to look at what had caught the hero's attention.

Immediately, Vanya ducked and let the curtain fall back into place – not wanting to risk Reginald's wrath if she were spotted.

With a sigh, knowing she shouldn't risk another look at the fireworks, Vanya returned to her bed. Pulling the covers up to her neck, she sighed; anticipating the inevitable insomnia she would have that night after such a disappointing day. She briefly considered taking another pill to numb her into unconsciousness, but Five was always so disapproving when she did that and she didn't want to make him unhappy if he came to visit her later.

Instead, she started tracing patterns in the bed sheets which were illuminated at sporadic intervals with each firework that banged outside her room.

"Sorry." Five suddenly announced, pulling Vanya from her daydreams with a little shriek. "I got away as soon as I could, but one of those guys would _not_ stop talking." He grumbled, sitting on the edge of the bed to pull off his shoes so he could join her.

"I tried to get the keys to your room from Mom, so we could go watch the fireworks on the roof, but I couldn't get near her with that man following me around."

"That's okay." Vanya breathed, pressing a hand to her chest, trying to calm her heart which was still beating rapidly from Five's unexpected arrival.

"No, it's not." Five sighed, laying down. "But I'm here now."

"Aren't you going to get in trouble for leaving while the guests are still here?"

"I don't care."

"Five..."

"_Don't_. I'm not going anywhere, he can send out a search party if he really cares."

Vanya pursed her lips together but didn't press it. Instead, she shuffled over so Five could settle more comfortably on the bed beside her.

"It wasn't even that exciting. There was just this ginger cake, and then they started letting off fireworks."

"Mom brought me some of the cake."

"Did you like it?" Five said, his voice lilting hopefully.

"I didn't try it. I wasn't hungry."

"Vanya," He groaned, "you have to eat more. It's not healthy."

"I know." She replied, her voice small.

Loosening his tie, Five pulled the cloth from his neck and dropped it on the floor. "I can't believe they locked you in here."

"I know."

The sheets ruffled as Five turned his head to look at her in concern. Her voice had broken when she spoke, and Vanya knew he had heard it.

She was about to deflect, ask him more about the party and the men who were there when his arms came towards her and cautiously turned her onto her side. When she was facing the wall, he shuffled behind her. He fidgeted with his arms for a minute, trying to decide where they should go, before laying one over her waist.

Her hands immediately grabbed a hold of his hand and clutched it to her. He was so warm.

"Is this okay?" Five asked, using his arm to pull her slightly tighter to his chest.

"Yeah." Vanya breathed back. "We have more space this way."

He pressed his nose to the back of her neck and when he spoke her hairs stood on end.

"Yeah. More space."

* * *

After Bonfire Night, the Academy had almost expected Reginald to go fully insane and allow them to celebrate Thanksgiving too.

Unsurprisingly, he hadn't.

Grace had let Vanya watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Reginald's television set though.

Her siblings weren't there with her.

They had front row seats on their own float.

* * *

Day five. For laadylazarus as it's your fault this turned out so sad :P I chose Bonfire Night as I've celebrated it far more often than Thanksgiving so I know where I stand. Apologies to people on I forgot to upload this at the same time as I did on AO3!


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